Brief: Honoring Santa Monica’s women

The Santa Monica History Museum, in collaboration with the city of Santa Monica’s Commission on the Status of Women, will observe National Women’s History Month by honoring local architect Kristina Andresen and Diane Margolin, publisher of the Santa Monica Star.

The two distinguished women entrepreneurs will be recognized on March 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum, located at 1350 Seventh St.

The program is free to the public and will include tours of the museum. Seating is limited.

The observance of Women’s History Month is to ensure that the contributions of American women will be recognized and celebrated throughout the community, museum officials said.

Andresen designed the Santa Monica History Museum and many other commercial commissions, including the DC-3 Monument at the Santa Monica Airport.

She has had many high-profile entertainment clients including MGM, Disney Feature Animation and Lorimar Studios. Her firm has designed many technology intensive facilities, not only for studios, but including education buildings, laboratories, galleries and museums.

She is also an active community member, including membership on the boards of the Santa Monica Sister City Foundation, Santa Monica College Board of Associates, Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Monica History Museum. She has served on boards supporting housing for homeless children, the symphony and as a director of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica responsible for programs such as children’s literacy and the support of the police and fire departments. She is chair of the Santa Monica Building, Fire and Life Safety Commission.

Margolin created her first family newspaper, the City Scene, in 1984 and made it a point to become an active part of the Westside community as the publisher of local newspapers for the past 29 years, museum officials said.

She combined her background as an elementary school teacher with her writing skills to do public relations for the Santa Monica Police Department, the West Los Angeles, Century City, and Santa Monica chambers of commerce, the Rotary Club of Santa Monica, the Santa Monica and Venice Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Santa Monica-Malibu School District.

She has served on boards for Santa Monica College, the Santa Monica History Museum, Police Activities League, the Santa Monica YMCA, and the Santa Monica Rotary Club. In 2001, she began publishing the Santa Monica Star, a paper that features local people as celebrities. Last year she received the Santa Monica Lions Club Community Service Award.

To attend the program, make reservations by e-mailing Ruth Gordon at info@santamonicahistory.org or call her at (310) 395-2290. For more information, visit www.santamonicahistory.org.